יחזקאל, פרק כ״א, פסוק ט׳

The fall of Jerusalem does not mark the conclusion of divine judgment, but rather the beginning of a sweeping wave of devastation that will engulf the entire region. After the severe blow to the Israelites, the destruction expands to strike the surrounding nations.

The initial phase of this judgment affects both the righteous and the wicked within Jerusalem. Commentators offer different perspectives on why both groups suffer. One approach suggests that the righteous perish as a consequence of the sins committed by the wicked [אברבנאל בשם המפרשים]. Another surprising view proposes that both groups were actually idolaters and wicked toward God; the so-called righteous were those who worshipped the idol Baal with complete devotion, while the wicked were those who neglected even their idol worship [אברבנאל]. Conversely, other scholars separate the fates of the two groups entirely. They explain that the righteous were removed from the city early on to spare them the agony of witnessing the destruction, while the wicked remained to face death through war, famine, and plague [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם].

Following the ruin of Jerusalem, the divine response turns toward the nations of the world. God unleashes an all-consuming sword [ביאור שטיינזלץ] that represents King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon acting as His appointed messenger [רש״י, אברבנאל]. The drawing of this sword symbolizes Nebuchadnezzar leaving his home in Babylon to embark on a prolonged campaign to destroy other lands [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ], targeting all the nations previously warned by the prophets [רד״ק].

There are two main reasons for this widespread assault on the nations. First, it is a matter of exact justice. Because the neighboring nations rejoiced at Israel's downfall, eagerly participated in the destruction, and caused more harm than necessary, God directs Nebuchadnezzar to strike them as well [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Second, it follows a clear logic: if God did not spare His own holy city of Jerusalem, He certainly will not spare the surrounding lands [אברבנאל].

The path of this devastation moves geographically from the south to the north, stretching from southern Jerusalem all the way to northern Babylon [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. After conquering the land of Israel, Nebuchadnezzar turns his forces back toward the northern nations. Along the way, his army will also sweep up any Israelite refugees who attempted to flee to those areas [מלבי״ם]. Just as the Israelites were exiled from the south to the north and punished by a northern king, the other nations will suffer a similar fate. Ultimately, the cycle of judgment will reach Babylon itself, which will eventually fall to other rising empires such as Media and Persia [רד״ק].